TEACHING ETHICS THROUGHOUT THE CURRICULUM

Case
21. Objectivity and Incentives

Situation

Corine Donnelly, Ph.D., is on the faculty at a regional university and
her research expertise is in the area of evaluation of training
programs. She routinely conducts evaluations and the grant dollars fund
her salary as well as support research assistantships of a number of
graduate students. As an expert in this area, Dr. Donnelly has received
a contract with an employment-training firm (Backtowork, Inc.) to
assess the effectiveness of their demonstration program for job
training and placement. The results of this study are needed within 3
months so that Backtowork, Inc. can include the results in a federal
grant proposal. Favorable results will guarantee the firm's receipt of
federal funding to expand their program nationwide. Whatever Dr.
Donnelly finds, her university will receive $125,000 to cover the
expenses of the research over the 3 month period. However, if the
results are positive, Dr. Donnelly has been assured by a Backtowork
representative that she will be contracted to conduct ongoing
evaluations of the nationwide job training and placement program over
the next five years.

Questions

What kinds of potential biases are created by
incentives such as the promise of future evaluation contracts?

Backtowork, Inc. is under pressure to validate the
effectiveness
of its program and Dr. Donnelly is conscious of this. If you were Dr.
Donnelly, what would you do to retain your objectivity in this study?

Society as a whole has many concerns about the
relationship
between scientists in academic research institutions and private
business/industry. What are some of these concerns and what principles
should be guide these relationships?

Reflect on the above questions and form your
own answers before clicking the discussion
key to review the commentary provided with this case.

Discussion

The area of ethical concern raised here is that importance of
objectivity, in the face of a potential conflict, future financial
incentives. Researchers must take steps to avoid undue influence. Dr.
Donnelly must make clear to Backtowork that they will use the highest
standards of science in the research (see Section 14.01a of the Code).
She should explain to Backtowork representatives who contracted the
research that it is in their best interests in the long run to have
reliable and valid information about their job training and placement
program. If their program is not effective as designed, then research
can provide valuable information about appropriate modifications to
enhance its effectiveness.

For researchers within the academy whose salary may be determined, in
part, by the receipt of grants, the guarantee of future funding is
difficult to ignore. However, the promise of future work represents
depending not on the quality of the research, but on its outcomes in a
particular direction, violates the very nature of social science
research. As such, Dr. Donnelly must be conscious of this pressure and
strictly adhere to the standard of scientific objectivity. Her
integrity will be compromised if the study does not adhere to the
highest standards of scientific investigations.

What steps should researchers take to insulate themselves from having
biases, however unintentional, enter into their work? Setting up and
relying on reference groups other than the contractor would be useful.
To maintain her objectivity and have it validated, Dr. Donnelly should
involve other colleagues outside the university in a review of the
research design, analysis, and reporting. Having impartial authorities
(such as review panels, other experts in the area or an advisory
committee) assess grant proposals and the quality of the research is an
important mechanism to control potential bias in evaluative research.
By disclosing the potential conflict of interest and introducing
mechanisms to monitor and scrutinize the research and reporting, Dr.
Donnelly and her university have reduced the potential for the pressure
from sponsoring organizations to cloud their scientific objectivity.
Many universities depend on outside sources of funds; however,
disclosure and monitoring of the research by other scientists or review
panels is the key to dealing with these types of conflicts of interest.